Although we’re coming up to spring and summer, we Mancs love a ramble whatever the time of year, and weather. One of the best areas accessible to Manchester where we love a walk is the beautiful Peak District National Park, with, of course, its peaks, reservoirs and wooded areas to explore. We’ve put together some of the best Peak District walks, for an array of abilities, ages and tastes, with some surprises along the way.
1. Castleton, Mam Tor, and The Great Ridge Circular
This 12.9km circular trail near Castleton, Derbyshire, is generally considered a moderately challenging route, taking an average of 4 hour 31 minutes to complete. This is a very popular area for camping, hiking, and running, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring.
One of the more challenging Peak District walks, it takes you up to Mam Tor (which translates to ‘Mother Hill’), one of the most iconic hills in England, also known as the “Shivering Mountain“. From this first peak, the route continues along the undulating spine of the Great Ridge to Hollins Cross, Back Tor, and Lose Hill, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and valleys before heading back via Castleton, Cave Dale, and Slitherstone Hill.
The best times to visit this trail are between March and November, with rain highly likely, being in the north of England… dogs are welcome, but must be on a lead.
📍 Co-ordinates (Mam Tor): 53°20′57″N 1°48′38″W / 53.34914°N 1.81069°W.
🚗 1hr 15mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 1hr from Manchester to Edale by train.
2. Bamford Edge and Stanage Edge Circular
While the White Peak is famous for its caves, the Dark Peak is all about edges. Of these, Stanage is the largest and most impressive continuous edge. It’s the site of much history and folklore – from the Romans to Robin Hood. Due to its height and interesting gritstone rock, Stanage is very popular with rock climbers.
Out of the car park, turn right and make the quick ascent to Stanage Edge. This road, the Long Causeway, is an old pack horse route and thought to be the Roman road to Buxton. Standing on top of the edge, you’ll get a good view along the sweeping escarpment, 25 metres high in places.
Take the path north to High Neb, not significantly higher than the rest of the ridge, but a summit and a trig point nonetheless. You’ll pass a pile of old mill stones, abandoned in the early 1900s. Just before Stanage End, take the path downhill off the edge, avoiding the bog, until you join up with the north end of Bamford Edge. You’ll have a great view over Ladybower Reservoir and the surrounding woodland.
📍 You can find the car park at at Hope Valley S32 1BR/What3Words: upholds.unpacked.assemble
🚗 1hr 30mins from Manchester by car.
3. Kinder Scout Plateau Circuit
From the train station, walk up the hill and turn left onto the Pennine Way. Follow the waymarkers across fields and through Upper Booth village until you reach open moorland. This is Jacob’s Ladder path, which winds steeply up onto Kinder Plateau. It is a paved and well-used path, named after Jacob Marshall, a local farmer who first cut steps into the hillside in the 1700s.
As you go you’ll be treated to staggering views for miles around and unusual rock formations. The gritstone forms bulbous crags and boulder, smoothed by years of weathering into unlikely shapes.
📍 Co-ordinates: 53°23′03.4″N 1°52′30.6″W / 53.384278°N 1.875167°W.
🚗 1hr 30mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 1hr from Manchester to Edale by train.
4. Curbar Edge and Chatsworth House
Curbar Edge and Froggart Edge form a striking rocky escarpment that overlooks the Derwent Valley. You can stand out on the cliff top, feeling like the King of the Castle as you look out over the rolling hills below. Chatsworth House, nestled beside the River Derwent, is not quite a castle, but with 25 rooms full of art and sculpture, it’s certainly more comfortable. The 100 acre garden has been tended for 500 years and there are 1000 acres of surrounding parkland.
The route takes you from Baslow Edge, onto Curbar and Froggart Edges respectively, taking in the River Derwent, which takes you on one of the most beautiful walks further through the Peak District. An extra loop on the end of the trail will take you into the grounds of Chatsworth House, which takes seasonal celebrations particularly seriously − there is free access to the estate, so continue through the Deer Park and towards the Hunting Tower, making it a 22km walk.
📍 Curbar, Calver, Hope Valley S32 3YR/Chatsworth House, Bakewell DE45 1PP.
🚗 1hr 3omins from Manchester by car.
5. Longshaw Estate & Padley Gorge Walk
This beautiful walk starts and ends in the peaceful Longshaw Estate, owned and managed by the National Trust. The route offers incredible open views across the Peak District moorland landscape, one of the main reasons to go for walks in our opinion, before entering the fairytale ancient oak woodland of Padley Gorge. There is a tearoom at the start/end of the walk and a café roughly halfway round for refreshments if needed.
📍 National Trust − Longshaw, Sheffield S11 7TZ.
🚗 1hr 15mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 2hrs 5mins from Manchester to Hathersage Road by train/bus.
6. Cromford Mill & Village Walk
Explore the home of the Industrial Revolution and discover Derbyshire’s rich history on this six or eight mile walk. Passing through Arkwright’s Mill, the village of Cromford and along the nearby canal, you’ll get a great taste for what Cromford has to offer. The route ascends through the woods of Dimons Dale and up to Black Rock, which boasts an incredible view of the town, Riber Castle and the Derwent Valley.
If opting for the slightly longer version of the route, you’ll be rewarded with a passage by Florence Nightingale’s former home along Cromford Canal, and plenty of charming cottages and buildings practically untouched by time.
📍 Mill Rd, Cromford, Matlock DE4 3RQ.
🚗 1hr 50mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 2hrs 40mins from Manchester to Cromford by train.
7. Pennine Way across the Peaks
Running all the way from Edale to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, the Pennine Way was Britain’s first National Trail. Known as the ‘Backbone of England‘, the Peak District portion of the Pennine Way hits major spots such as Kinder Plateau and Downfall, Mill Hill and High Peak, over to Clough Edge and along the River Etherow.
You could stop there, as this would make a hefty day of walking in itself, or you could stay over in one of the many hotels and guesthouses in the area and carry on the next day. The second leg takes you all the way to the edge of the Peak District to Marsden, where you can grab a pint, something to eat and likely a train home.
📍 Edale, Hope Vale S33 7ZD/Marsden, Huddersfield HD7 6AX.
🚗 1hr 30mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 1hr from Manchester to Edale by train.
8. Chinley Churn Circular, New Mills & Lyme Park
Enjoy the lovely countryside views as you make your way to Chinley Churn and along Cracken Edge Quarries before returning to the start along Over Hill Road. Keep an eye out for wildlife but also be aware of livestock that may be along the paths. Take care on the rougher sections as well as at the stiles and on the roads.
Extend the walk to the gorgeous town of New Mills, with its Millennium Walkway and incredible Industrial Revolution structures, and bring it full circle with a saunter down to National Trust Lyme Park. Known for its stately home and gardens which acted as Pemberley in the 1995 BBC version of Pride & Prejudice (yep, the Colin Firth one), Lyme Park is vast and provides a lovely end to a beautiful walk.
📍 Co-ordinates (Chinley): 53.356179°N, 1.9459626°W/Lyme Park, Disley, Stockport, Cheshire, SK12 2NR.
🚗 45−55 mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 1hr from Manchester to Chinley by train.
9. Cown Edge Way
This generally U-shaped route on the eastern edge of Greater Manchester rises to Cown Edge Rocks via Strines and Mellor, where you can hike up to Mellor Cross, an actual cross erected by Marple Churches Together in 1969. The route then returns via Charlesworth and Werneth Low, with a mixture of terrain from urban to moorland and about 2400ft of ascent.
This walk takes in incredible views back to Manchester and Cheshire, and much of the walk is actually in Stockport rather than *officially* the Peak District, but we thought it was worth a mention!
📍 Mellor, Stockport SK6 5NL.
🚗 Under 50 mins from Manchester by car.
10. Coombs Ridge
Taking in some of that Cown Edge route again, one of the shorter Peak District walks (7 miles) covers an area that sees few walkers. The route twists and turns to use old paths and lanes that past communities needed to attend work and markets. It starts in the historical past, passes lonely farms and outbuildings now redeveloped, climbs over moors to reach the high ridge with its views, before returning through ancient woodlands.
📍 Start from Broadbottom, Greater Manchester.
🚗 35 mins from Manchester by car.
🚆 35 mins from Manchester to Broadbottom by train.
11. Sett Valley Trail & Lantern Pike
The Sett Valley trail is a scenic walk on the edge of the Peak district which links Hayfield with New Mills. It’s also popular with cyclists and horse riders due it its easy terrain and beautiful countryside. Sett Valley Trail follows an old railway line and is also part of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail. Lantern Pike is a hill just outside of Hayfield which is owned by the National Trust, and if you link the two up, you get a lovely circular walk of just four miles.
📍 Sett Valley Trail car park, Hayfield, High Peak SK22 2ES/Lantern Pike, High Peak SK22 2NH.
🚗 Both are 50 mins from Manchester by car.
12. Dovestones Edge & Reservoir
This beautiful Dovestone Reservoir walk takes you briefly into the stunning Chew Hills and moors of Dove Stone Moss, and then returns for an easy circuit of the lovely Dovestone Reservoir, with fabulous open views of this beautiful area to the far north west of the Peak District National Park. This is a walk of 4.1 miles, with some rough terrain with gates and step stiles along part of the walk, although the route can be altered easily to make this an accessible trail for those with bikes, prams, pushchairs or off-road wheelchairs.
If you fancy going that extra mile (literally), climb the hill up to Dovestones Edge and look out on the reservoir you’ve just conquered, and the surrounding greenery. There is ample parking at the start of the walk (fees apply) and public toilets. There are no refreshments en route although there are picnic benches, and there is a pub (The Clarence) that serves great food in nearby Greenfield − allow around 2-3 hours to complete this walk at a moderate pace.
📍 Co-ordinates: 53°31′48″N 1°58′30″W / 53.530°N 1.975°W.
🚗 Around 50 mins drive from Manchester.
13. Old Glossop & B-29 Crash Site Circular
This 13.2-km circular trail takes you up to Higher Shelf Stones and visits the B-29 crash site and memorial near its peak in the Peak District National Park, making it one of the most unique walks in the area. You’ll follow the road along the Glossop Brook before embarking on the gradual climb up to Higher Shelf Stones and the B29 Superfortress crash site and memorial. The site itself is captivating; there are large parts of the fuselage, wheels and parts of the engine strewn over 400 yards of ground. When the US Air Force Boeing RB-29A crashed on Bleaklow Moors in 1948, all 13 crew members died, and much of the wreckage remains at the site, along with a memorial.
A path leads to the trig point at Higher Shelf Stones, which is near the summit of Bleaklow Head. The trail descends along the southeastern slope before following the Doctor’s Gate path along the lower slopes and continuing on the same paved road along the brook back to Old Glossop. Something a bit different to see on a walk.
📍 Charlesworth, Glossop SK13 7PQ.
🚗 Around 50 mins from Manchester by car.
So, as spring and summer rear their heads, why not get a huge dose of fresh air and head to the Peak District for one of these gorgeous walks?